To understand the dramatic collapse of the socialist order and
the current turmoil in the formerly communist world, this
comprehensive work examines the most important common properties of
all socialist societies. JNBnos Kornai brings a life-long study of
the problems of the socialist system to his explanation of why
inherent attributes of socialism inevitably produced in-efficiency.
In his past work he has focused on the economic sphere, maintaining
consistently that the weak economic performance of socialist
countries resulted from the system itself, not from the
personalities of top leaders or mistakes made by leading
organizations and planners. This book synthesizes themes from his
earlier investigations, while broadening the discussion to include
the role of the political power structure and of communist
ideology. Kornai distinguishes between two types, or historical
phases, of socialism. The "classical socialism" of Stalin, Mao, and
their followers is totalitarian and brutally repressive, but its
components fit together and make up a coherent edifice. Associated
with names like Tito, KNBdar, Deng-Xiaoping, and Gorbachev, "reform
socialism" relaxes repression, but brings about a sharpening of
inner contradictions and the eventual dissolution of the system.
Kornai examines the classical system in the first half of the book,
and moves on to explore the complex process of reform in the second
half. The Socialist System is addressed to economists in the first
place, but also to political scientists, sociologists, and
historians. In addition, it will appeal to policymakers, business
analysts, and government officials who need to understand either
formerly or presently communist countries.
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